Ball-caster



(No'ModeL) G. L. BOVEROUX.

BALL GASTER.

- Patented Apr. 5, 1898.

W j/jw wi/imeooeo W 351 1 we NITED STATES Y PATENT OEFCE.

GEORGE L. BOVEROUX, OF OAKLAND, OALIEOENIA.

BALL-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 601,726, dated April 5,1898. Application filed October 11, 1897- Serial No. 654,881. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. BOVEROUX, a subject of the German Emperor,residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casters forFurniture; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of said invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, andpractice the same.

This invention relates to improvements in casters for furniture, &c.,and more particularly to what are known as ball-casters, my

object being to provide a simple and efficient structure of thecharacter indicated.

The invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a legof a piece of furniture provided with the present caster; and Fig. 2 isa sectional plan view on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A represents a leg of apiece of furniture, said leg being centrally bored to'receive the stem Bof the caster. This caster is formed of an integral casing having a headportion C, with a-depending portion to produce the cup E, adapted toreceive the spherical roller D. At a line in its circumference thecasing has an outwardly-extendin g flange K, and from the outer edgeofthis flange the casing depends, as shown, the lower edge E extendinginwardly and serving to prevent the roller from falling out of the cup.Antifriction-bearings for the roller or ball D are provided within thecup, and said bearings will now be described.

An annular box F fits loosely in the casing below the flange K and restsagainst the same,

' said box being open upon its inner side, as

shown. This box receives the bearing-balls G, upon which the rollerrests.

If the entire groove in the box were filled with balls, such aconstruction would materially increase the cost of the article, thesmallest number which can be used being three in all. The balls shown inthe drawings are arranged in' three pairs at points equally dividedabout the said groove, and the spaces between the pairs are nearlyfilled by the I blocks H. The blocks H are so constructed as to restloosely within the groove and are set back away from the surface of theball D to permit the same to rest upon the bearingballs G only.

In arranging the blocks H care is taken to give the balls G sufficientplay to allow them to roll around in the groove. In order to completethe entire circuit around the groove, the forward ball ofeach pair willbear against the end of the block H in front of it and cause the same toslide in the direction of the groove.

The groove is preferably hardened by a process known as chilling, so asto offer as little friction in the rotation of the ball against thesides and bottom of the groove as possible.

It has been observed that with a construction such as described, whereinthe casterball D is resting upon three points of bearing consisting ofballs, as shown, the balls at groove. Further, in its use the caster isseldom moved in a direct line for any considerable distance. sired of itis to a certain extent in a circular direction, and in moving in suchdirection the caster-ball is compelled to rotate on its vertical center,carrying the bearing-balls G around the groove. In this latter action Ihavefound that the balls arranged, as shown in the drawings, with theinterposed blocks H act sufliciently well for all purposes of acaster-bearmg.

While I have shown a groove rectangular in cross-section, I do not wishto be understood as confining myself to such shape, as the groove may beformed with a single angle and accomplish the same purpose of providin gtwo tangential bearing-points for the bearing-ball; also, I do not wishto confine myself in the arrangement of the interposed blocks looselymounted in the groove to any particular form of groove, as the functionwhich the blocks serve that of maintaining the bearing-balls at aprescribed distance from each.

other, would be accomplished in any other form of groove.

with one of the three points-will the travel of any one of the balls bedirectly'across the The action which is most de- K Having thus describedthis invention, What spherical roller fitting in said casing and proisclaimed isjecting therefrom, and, at a line above its A caster or thelike comprising an integral horizontal diameter, bearing upon the ballscasing having at a line in its circumference an in the box substantiallyas described. 5 outwardly-extending flange, the portion of In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set I 5 the casing below the flange extendingdownmy hand this 2d day of October, 1897.

wardly from the outer edge of the same, an GEORGE L. BOVEROUX. annularbox open upon its inner face fitting Witnesses: loosely in the casingbelow the flange and rest- BALDWIN VALE,

[0 ing against the same, balls in said box, and a MAYNARD HARMS.

